Scott Walker Guitars

Northern California is a hotbed of
custom lutherie—almost like a
year-round guitar show. One could spend
weeks in the greater Bay Area touring
shops and talking to top-flight luthiers
before having to plan the next trip to see
even more. One such master craftsman is
Scott Walker, a Santa Cruz-based luthier
who cut his teeth in the business working
for Santa Cruz Guitar Company alongside
Richard Hoover. But SCGC produces
acoustic instruments, so when Walker
heard the siren call of electric guitar, he
decided his work experience, education,
and time spent crafting electrics during
his off hours would allow him to start his
own company. In 2005, he launched Scott
Walker Guitars.

Walker fell in love with music at an early
age and started experimenting with homemade
pickups and guitar modifications
shortly thereafter. Before long, he’d combined
his interest in electronics and playing
music with his passion for drawing and
art. Shortly after high school, he knew he
wanted to be a guitar builder and was off to
the Roberto Venn School of Lutherie.

Walker handcarved over 1,000 necks
while at the SCGC, including necks for
such notable musicians as Tony Rice and
Norman Blake. When asked what he took
from his experience working almost solely
on acoustic instruments, and how it would
translate to starting an electric guitar company,
Walker explained, “Just handling the
different wood species, proportions, and
combinations really opened my eyes and
ears to the fact that it’s how you manipulate
the wood that’s the biggest factor in
the end tonal result—acoustic or electric.
It may sound strange, but like anything
else you do over and over, you develop
this other sense. So when I pick up a piece
of mahogany, rosewood, or maple, I can
just kind of hear what it’s going to sound
like—and if it wants to be a guitar.” It
should be noted that Walker just completed
his first batch of dreadnoughts, based
on Norman Blake’s old 12-fret, slope-shoulder
Martin.

When questioned about trends in
lutherie and what current one could
have the biggest effect in the next 15-20
years, Walker responded, “Wood—sustainable,
renewable woods will become
more accepted and expected. But I think
the industry has to decide on what those
woods actually are.” He doesn’t believe
that mahogany is mahogany is mahogany.
“You take three different builders and
give them the same billets, and you’ll
have three different sounding guitars. So
over the next 15 years, we as an industry
will have to decide on what guitar wood
is going to be used and be heard on our
grandkids’ records.”

The Phantom
With the Phantom, Scott Walker pays
tribute to what was one of Steve Cripe’s—
the late, legendary builder—most elegant
designs and last electrics played by Jerry
Garcia. The model shown features an
ebony top and back, along with a figured-maple
core and padauk laminates. This guitar
boasts custom single-coil Lollar pickups
and a minimalist approach to the controls
that still provide a unique variety of tonal
options. There are two different preamps—
an op-amp-style unity gain buffer, and
an FET-style booster, both with On/Off
switches—allowing a passive option, as well
as a choice of either preamp, or both.

The Phoenix
In 2007, Scott Walker and Steve Kimock
began discussing the ergonomics of a guitar
that led to the current design of the
Phoenix. It was also during this time that
Kimock discussed pickups with Jason Lollar
and how to go about designing the perfect
single-coil that would be hum-canceling
when both pickups are engaged. What
they came up with was a wide, thin, blade-style
single-coil shown on the Phoenix.
Additionally, an extended, hidden tenon was
added—on which the pickups are mounted
directly—giving superb alignment, stability,
increased resonance, and tone transfer. With
a curly-mahogany body and neck, and a
Brazilian rosewood fretboard, the Phoenix is
outfitted with a solid copper pickguard for
electronics shielding and to provide Walker
a canvas for his patina and engraving skills.

The Fathom
The Fathom has the appearance of a guitar
made of solid bronze that was buried at
sea for over a hundred years—but it’s constructed
with alder, so it’s still light and
resonant. The Fathom’s look is a finish
and hardware upgrade that can be applied
to any of Walker’s models. This bronze
patina finish is very durable, sealed for a
comfortable feel, and low-maintenance
enough to not require polishing. The
road-worthy Fathom is offered with a wide
variety of patina techniques for players
wanting to bring out their own personality
on their instrument.

California Bass
The long tenon design, select laminates,
and multiple-bolt coupling on Walker’s
California Bass are designed to eliminate
dead spots and promote resonance over
all frequencies. Available with an alder
or swamp-ash body, this bass features an
Aguilar preamp, Hipshot bridge and tuners,
and a maple neck capped with a rosewood
fretboard. Though the pictured bass is
loaded up with Lollars, the pickup configuration,
as with all of Walker’s instruments,
is the customer’s call.

The Walker Special
When ordering a Walker Special, Walker
gives his customers a choice of body-style—
solid, chambered, or chambered with a
soundhole. Each option is discussed when
choosing woods and talking about desired
tone. With a standard mahogany neck and
back, buyers choose the top wood along
with their preference of humbuckers. The
short-scale Walker Special is also adorned
with a Jangletone II preamp, Walker tailpiece,
TonePros bridge, and a bound ebony
fretboard and headstock.

The Santa Cruz
Walker says the Santa Cruz is considered to
be one of his most versatile models. With
a slightly longer body (25" scale length)
than the Walker Special, it too features a
standard mahogany neck and back, with
the customer’s choice of exotic top wood.
For pickups, you can choose between Lollar
Imperials or Low Winds, Fralin P-92s
or Twangmasters, or Harmonic Design
Z-90s. Like the Walker Special (above), the
Santa Cruz also comes with an onboard
Jangletone II preamp.

Pricing and Availability
Walker builds around 20 guitars a year. At press time he had 31 guitars on the production
schedule, which equates to a wait time of approximately 12 months for a new instrument.
All models come with a custom package that includes the choice of topwood, pickups,
preamps, tuners, a Walker tailpiece and TonePros bridge, and more. Pricing for Walker’s
instruments ranges from $4350 to $6250, with a variety of optional upgrades available.

Associate Editor Rich Osweiler started playing guitar at the tender age of 8, but over the years bass has become his main instrument. Prior to joining Premier Guitar, Rich worked at Acoustic Guitar for close to 10 years, most recently as associate publisher and director of marketing. He loves all types of music—from gypsy jazz to lo-fi and grindcore—provided the genre name isn’t preceded by the “contemporary” tag. Outside of music, Rich enjoys travel, skiing, woodworking, coaching baseball, and being a dad. He lives in Marin County with his 8-year-old daughter and their dog, Kiko.

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